New York City Police have ended a manhunt for a suspect that allegedly committed a hate crime.

Brandon McNamara surrendered himself to police after a two-day search. The 25-year-old was seen on surveillance cameras attaching a gay couple. He threw one man up against a tree and then punched the other man in the face.

The altercation happened in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, not far from a gay bar. The victims later received treatment at Bellevue Hospital, one for a fractured shoulder and the other a fractured finger.

“In partnership with the community, an arrest has been made in the 9-23-18 Hate Crime assault in Brooklyn in which a gay couple was brutally attacked,” police chief Dermot Shea said in a statement via Twitter.

McNamara surrendered himself to the Hate Crimes Unit of New York’s Seventh Precinct Wednesday morning. His employer Ernst & Young has suspended McNamara, pending further investigation. He has no criminal record to date.
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Brandon McNamara, 25, accused of attacking a gay couple in Williamsburg. Silent as he was walked out of NYPD 7th Precinct pic.twitter.com/rl1kR7fyL6

A new survey conducted by Gay Star News that found that a whole lot of people are lying about their age on dating apps. Over 3,000 people participated in the survey, which was conducted earlier this month. One if four respondents admitted they had lied about their age at least once while chatting with a potential new hookup.

Among those people who say they’ve been dishonest on their quests to get laid:

12% never or rarely lie about their age.

13% sometimes or often lie.

35% always lie.

When it comes to going on dates, the numbers aren’t terribly different:

6% never or rarely lie about their age.

10.5% sometimes or often lie.

39% always lie.

So why all the lying?

The answer is pretty simple: Agism.

When asked about agism, 60% of respondents said their experience of dating was “totally” ageist, compared to 16% who said the scene was a “little” ageist, and 6% who said it was “maybe” ageist.

Many respondents also expressed fear about getting older. 31% said they were terrified about losing their looks, while 42% said they worried about losing their partner or loved ones.

Let’s be honest about this. It is no secret that some (most) gay men will lie about their age. We live in an age, body-obsessed culture. So, when you turn a certain age you are no longer considered good looking or “hot”.

Zak Kostopoulos, a greek activist died following a brutal beating in Central Athens and the beating was captured on camera (WARNING THE VIDEO IS GRAPHIC).

The Athens daily Kathemerini reported: “The incident occurred last Friday morning on Gladstonos Street near Omonia Square. The victim allegedly entered the empty jewelry store and panicked when he was locked inside. Initial reports claimed Kostopoulos was trying to rob the store, but others said he was trying to avoid a brawl that had started nearby. Footage from CCTV cameras across the street published in media show the victim stumbling while trying to pick up a fire extinguisher to break the glass door. He then tried to break a street-level display window on the storefront. The store owner was alerted to the incident and returned to his store. The camera footage shows two men, one of whom is reportedly the store owner, kicking him repeatedly in the head as he crawls through the broken glass out into the street. One of the dozen bystanders called an ambulance and police. A separate video that emerged showed the victim attempting to escape after receiving first aid by paramedics, only to trip over a nearby table. It also showed a policeman beating him again as Kostopoulos is already lying on the ground.”

Kostopoulos died in route to the hospital, according to the police. The owner of the store has been charged with manslaughter, his accomplice (seen kicking Kostopoulos) is still at large.

The website News Kosmos reported: “A well-known figure among the LGBTQI community, Kostopoulos was an activist for both gender-related issues, as well as for the HIV-positive community, raising awareness for people living with HIV. He had been active through Positive Voice, the HIV-positive association of Greece (which works with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation). He was also a popular drag show artist, performing under the moniker Zackie Oh. A protest rally in his memory was held in Athens on Saturday night, with the participation of about 500 people.”

Geoffrey Tracy a 25-year-old personal trainer, aspiring fitness model, and bodybuilder has admitted to stabbing 50-year-old roommate 16 times after he claims the roommate âtired to make movesâ on him.

The attack happened shortly after Tracy moved to New York. He was staying at Gregory Kanczes apartment in Hellâs Kitchen after a gay strip club owner agreed to fly him out from California.

Tracy told police, âThe guy tried to make moves on me. I told him, no then he said heâd shoot me so I had to defend myself. I had a knife to him, and he went for the gun.â

âI filmed myself on my iPhone saying I didnât want to kill him. He had a gun. I had to kill him.â

Tracy told police that Kanczes prevented him from leaving the apartment by blocking the door. After the stabbing Tracy âtook a vape of THCâ then threw the knife in a dumpster.

Kanczes has survived the assault.

Tomas Kenniff, Tracyâs attorney stated that before the attack his client was subjected to âunwanted touchingâ and âhellish surroundings.â

Tracy has rejected a plea deal that would have him serving a 20-year prison term and pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault charge this week.

Hypocrisy appears to have no bounds. It seems that an anti-gay man who is trying to stop his local library from hosting a Drag Queen Story Time is now being accused of engaging in questionable behavior.

Christopher Sevier has filed a federal lawsuit this past week in Louisiana on behalf of two anti-gay groups Special Forces of Liberty and Warriors for Christ.

In short, the suit is trying to stop the city of Lafayette from hosting Drag Queen Story Time, scheduled to take place on October 6.

But that’s now what this story is about.

Sevier who has been very vocal about marriage equality for years is now been accused of stalking another man.

Over the past decade, Sevier has been in a dispute with country singer John Rich over song rights. Beginning in 2008 Sevier has sent Rich countless threatening emails, which required the singer to request a restraining order. Sevier has since violated the restraining order.

According to reports, in one email Sevier threatened Rich’s children and in another one, he supposedly sent a half-naked picture of himself wrapped in the American flag and covered in blood. Well, there’s nothing like a homophobe sending a half naked pic to another dude.

But it doesn’t stop there. Apparently stalking is a hobby for Sevier. In 2014, he was accused of stalking a 17-year-old he met at an ice cream shop in Nashville.

According to The Tennessean, Sevier told police he was just being “friendly” to the girl when he offered to help her get “modeling work.” He added that he didn’t know why she would be so creeped out by his repeated attempts at helping her.

Not surprisingly, this isn’t Sevier’s first brush with the law. In the past, he’s had multiple warrants issued for his arrest for failure to appear for criminal contempt proceedings, failure to pay child support, violation of a restraining order, and assaulting his father-in-law in an altercation that injured his then-7-month-old baby.

#SOCIAL NOBODY SERIES Roughly, every second person has experienced bullying at some point in their life, and over 83% of young people admit that these events affected their self-esteem. College time is not an exception. Like any violence, bullying leaves scars, be they physical, emotional, or both. This problem is very difficult to deal with, especially when you are a victim.However, ‘difficult’ doesn’t mean ‘impossible’, so you can break out of this situation if you take appropriate action.

Understand Bullying and What Drives ItOne can say that humans are violent creatures by nature or that they learn to be this way from the examples they see in early childhood. There is a violent cycle in our society where bullies are practically ‘made’ by either adopting this behavior from witnessing it at home or reversing to it as a coping mechanism. It’s quite surprising, but many of the current bullies have been victimized and started act this way as a way of coping.

As a victim in a bullying situation, you need to understand the reasons that push your abusers because this is necessary for you to see the most important truth.

The truth is that you are NOT the problem. It is NOT your fault.

The majority of victims remain this way simply because they don’t have the courage to speak up and do something about their situation. It usually occurs because one of the basic bullying tactics is to hit one’s self-esteem and make them believe that they are at fault and deserve to be abused.

It isn’t the truth, and the first thing you must do to deal with bullies is to understand that they have no power over you. The second best thing to do is to seek legal advice. Having a legal counsel to protect your rights would be imperative in this case, especially if the bullying has resulted in physical injuries.

Deal with Bullying in College: Tactics for Any SituationAlthough all bullies follow a similar pattern (which is intimidation and humiliation of someone weaker to get an ego boost out of the deal), no two cases are the same. Therefore, you might need to implement different methods depending on the situation.

Ignore the bullyBullies get the enjoyment from the reaction they incur from their victims, and in most cases, they aren’t prepared to elevate the level of violence in their approach. It means that NOT giving a reaction makes you ‘unappealing’ and might be enough to make the abuser go away on their own.

You can augment this tactic by responding in a firm and calm manner. Simply saying ‘Stop’ or ‘Leave me alone’ should suffice. Just don’t get agitated as getting the rise out of you is exactly what the bully wants.Get help from an adultEven when you are an independent and self-sufficient college student, getting help from an adult in a bullying situation is the right thing to do. First of all, this is a very serious matter and your reporting the abuse might help other people who are forced into a similar situation.

Second, adult authority figures (professors, counselors, supervisors, etc.) may have the means to deal with the bully more efficiently. Depending on the circumstances, they may offer advice or take some practical steps, such as expelling the bully or meting out appropriate punishment.

Stand up for yourselfNote that this doesn’t mean answering violence with violence. What you need to do is to show the bully that you aren’t a victim. You can do this by standing tall and proud, showing the abuser that their words don’t matter.

You are an amazing person, and you mustn’t put yourself down. So, just tell the bully that they are wrong about you and walk away back to your friends. If you don’t have any, now would be a great time to join some group that shares your interests and would provide you with support (and watch your back) in case you encounter a bully.

#SOCIAL NOBODY SERIES A safe and supportive school climate can help prevent bullying. Safety starts in the classroom. Students should also feel and be safe everywhere on campus—in the cafeteria, in the library, in the rest rooms, on the bus, and on the playground. Everyone at school can work together to create a climate where bullying is not acceptable.

Make sure students interact safely. Monitor bullying “hot spots” in and around the building. Students may be at higher risk of bullying in settings where there is little or no adult monitoring or supervision, such as bathrooms, playgrounds, and the cafeteria.

Enlist the help of all school staff. All staff can keep an eye out for bullying. They also help set the tone at school. Teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria staff, office staff, librarians, school nurses, and others see and influence students every day. Messages reach kids best when they come from many different adults who talk about and show respect and inclusion. Train school staff to prevent bullying.

Set a tone of respect in the classroom. This means managing student behavior in the classroom well. Well-managed classrooms are the least likely to have bullying.

Manage Classrooms to Prevent BullyingTeachers can consider these ways to promote the respect, positive relations, and order that helps prevent bullying in the classroom:

Create ground rules.

Develop rules with students so they set their own climate of respect and responsibility.

Reward good behavior. Try to affirm good behavior four to five times for every one criticism of bad behavior.

Use one-on-one feedback, and do not publicly reprimand.

Help students correct their behaviors. Help them understand violating the rules results in consequences: “I know you can stop [negative action] and go back to [positive action]. If you choose to continue, then [consequence].”

Classroom MeetingsClassroom meetings provide a forum for students to talk about school-related issues beyond academics. These meetings can help teachers stay informed about what is going on at school and help students feel safe and supported.These meetings work best in classrooms where a culture of respect is already established. Classroom meetings are typically short and held on a regular schedule. They can be held in a student’s main classroom, home room, or advisory period.

Establish ground rules. Kids should feel free to discuss issues without fear. Classroom meetings are not a time to discuss individual conflicts or gossip about others. Reinforce existing classroom rules.

Start the conversation. Focus on specific topics, such as bullying or respectful behaviors. Meetings can identify and address problems affecting the group as a whole. Stories should be broad and lead to solutions that build trust and respect between students. Use open-ended questions or prompts such as:

Share an example of a student who helped someone at school this week.

Without names, share an example of someone who made another student feel bad.

What did students nearby do? What did you do? Did you want to do something different—why or why not?

If you could describe the perfect response to the situation what would it be? How hard or easy would it be to do? Why?

How can adults help?

End the meeting with a reminder that it is everyone’s job to make school a positive place to learn. Encourage kids to talk to teachers or other trusted adults if they see bullying or are worried about how someone is being treated.

Follow-up when necessary. Monitor student body language and reactions. If a topic seems to be affecting a student, follow-up with him or her. Know what resources are available to support students affected by bullying.

Source:United States Department of Health and Human Services. stopbullying.gov

Former student Ricky Windmann said he was sexually abused by Peter Modica, a janitor at the Catholic boys school, the New Orleans Advocate reports.

Windmann claims the abuse began in the 1970s when Modica led him into the maintenance office and forcibly performed oral sex on him.

The New Orleans Advocate reports:

The janitor would go on to sexually abuse the adolescent several more times in the ensuing years… Similar incidents would unfold every few weeks or so for a couple of years. Monica’s assaults eventually escalated into anal rape - including on time when a school fair was unfolding within earshot.

Windmann tried to resist, however, Modica would say it was ok and urged him not to tell anyone. “If you say anything, who’s your mom going to believe, me or you?” Windmann recalls Modica saying.

According to the New Orleans Advocate:

Windmann said he’s never forgotten the despair her felt the two times other adults at Jesuit witnessed the abuse but didn’t get him help. The first time it happened, Modica was abusing Windmann in the on-campus Chapel of the North American Martyrs. A layperson came in, someone Windmann didn’t know. That Person simply said, “Goddamn it, Pete,” before leaving.

But that is nothing compared to what happened when witnessed a second time. While Modica was raping Windmann, Rev. Cornelius “Neil” Carr walked into the room.

The New Orleans Advocate reports:

A priest, Windmann thought, would surely put Modica in his place. Instead, the priest walked over, put one hand on the middle of Windmann’s back and said, “Relax.” Then Carr began masturbating as Modica continued to rape him, Windmann said.

Jesuit quietly paid Windmann a $450,000 settlement six years ago, just around the time, the school settled two other abuse claims involving two other former employees, details of those settlements remain sealed. Windmann decided to speak out after the school failed to disclose his settlement or publicly acknowledge the sexual abuse he suffered. “We know that there’s systematic and institutionalized abuse of children …and (ending) this should be the top priority,” he says. “I was born a Catholic. This is my church. We, the parishioners, the abuse victims, need to take our church back because that’s what Jesus–what God–would want us to do.”

A Florida man has pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal interception of oral communications. 33-year-old Bryan Deneumostier was accused of coning straight-identifying men Into having sex and recording the act(s).

The men involved thought they were meeting up with a “bored housewife” for sex through Craigslist. Deneumostier would post pretending to be a “real, heterosexual female” looking for hook-ups at her house near an Army base.

The men would arrive be blindfolded, and sex acts (mostly oral) were performed on them. Each sex act would be video recorded and posted on various porn sites.

The videos were apart of a series called “StraightBoyz,” with the tagline: “real straight men” being ticked into performing gay sex acts.” It appears that Deneumostier was able to get away with the scheme for four years.

Deneumostier said that over half of the men were unaware that he was recording them and the other half were aware and consented to be taped.

Original reports suggested that he had engaged in sex acts with apparently 600 men, but he admitted the number was about 150.

He now faces up to 10 years in prison and will be sentenced on November 29.

We have written time and time again about being careful when hooking up on gay social media app’s. Maybe this will finally get your attention?

Police in Oklahoma City has released a body camera video of a Grindr scene that can only be described as a “house of horrors.” Five men contacted police after arriving at a house expecting to meet someone from the app. But instead, they were robbed and held hostage.

Each man describes a similar experience: after an exchange of messages, a Grindr user invited them to a small house in the city. When they entered, they found it crammed with a bed and clothing. An assailant would then hold the victims at gunpoint, robbing them of everything from money to their cars. Victims then had to lay on the floor while the assailant robbed yet another victim. According to witnesses, this happened about every 15 minutes. When one victim ran, the robbers chased after him, allowing the other prisoners to escape.

31-year old Deaunte McPherson was arrested and charged with robbery and kidnapping. Police are currently searching for three additional people involved, one woman and two men.

As we’ve stressed before you have to be careful, especially with discreet meet-ups. Police suggest that you insist on a picture and a cell phone number, and store the information in a cloud account. This ensures that if anything happens police might have something to go on.